Whitehorse Hotels, Your Base Camp For Adventure In The Yukon

Have you ever been to the land of the midnight sun, and I’m not talking about Iceland? I’m talking about Canada’s own northern wonder, the Yukon. I grew up in Northern BC and the North holds a special place in my heart. Its people, geography, flora and fauna and the fact that throughout the summer months there are 22 hours of daylight. Winter is a whole other matter, but summer in the Yukon has been on my bucket list for years and by redeeming Aeroplan miles I was able to make it happen. I’m spending a total of eight days in the province. My base camp to adventure is a couple of Whitehorse Hotels and then three nights in Dawson City. Let the adventure in the land of the midnight sun begin.

My trip just happens to coincide with the Dawson City Musical Festival, more on that later, so my time in Whitehorse will bookmark my Yukon adventures. I will check out two Whitehorse hotels during my stay with the first right in the heart of downtown Whitehorse.

Westmark Whitehorse Hotel & Conference Centre201 Wood Street – The Westmark Whitehorse is a very busy hotel during the summer. Part of the Holland America Line of companies it is not just where I am staying for a night, it is also where cruise ship passengers overnight as part of their tours of the Yukon with Holland America and Princess Cruises.

The hotel itself is quite a large and sprawling property taking up an entire city block. Room access is granted by elevator only to those with room keys, so if you are worried about safety they have you covered. The rooms themselves are not large but are clean and comfortable. Air conditioning is not available, however, they do provide fans if your room gets a bit warmer than you’d prefer.

By the bathroom in my room is a mini bar, microwave and coffee/tea centre. Perfect for reheating any treats you may have brought along with you.

I didn’t eat dinner in the hotel restaurant, however, I did enjoy a hearty Eggs Benedict both mornings I was there. During cruise ship season I highly advise you avoid the early early morning rush if you can. The restaurant was packed both mornings until about 8 am when the cruise ship passengers moved on to their next stop.

Remeber I said this is the land of the midnight sun? Here’s a photo from my room taken at 10:30 pm and the sun was nowhere near setting.

Coast High Country Inn4051 4 Avenue – Located a 15-minute walk from the heart of downtown Whitehorse the Coast High Country Inn is situated next door to the local convention centre. It is perfect for business travellers.

The room decor at the Coast High Country Inn more up to date than some of the other options in town, so a good choice if that matters to you. My room is quite spacious and has all the amenities I expect plus some I didn’t.

My room comes complete with a kitchenette and a pull-down Murphy bed. Great if this was a family vacation or I needed to share with a friend. The large closet in the below photo is actually the Murphy bed.

The Coast High Country Inn also has an amazing restaurant patio appropriately called The Deck. May I recommend the Bacon Cheeseburger. It is delish!

When it comes to Whitehorse hotels these two are great options for you. Picking one over the other completely depends on what is most important to you. For me I love the easy convenience the Westmark offers to a cafe I discovered, but I prefer the amenities and comfort offered by the Coast High Country. Which of these Whitehorse hotels is right for you? You tell me.

Disclosure: General

Thanks to Travel Yukon for their support in making this trip possible, along with Aeroplan for providing 25,000 miles that I used to redeem for flights from Toronto to Whitehorse. My views and opinions are 100% my own

About Author

Marc Smith is a former event planner turned vagabond adventurer. He loves strong Americano's, great wine, cold beer and zip lining over tree tops.
Formerly of Vancouver, most of Marc's time when not travelling is in Canada's largest city, Toronto. Follow along on his nomad adventures and discover places to stay, things to do and where to eat & drink as he explores the world one city and region at a time.